Evolutionary Ethics & Codes of Conduct for Evolutionaries, Universe Citizens & the Universe Communities

Introduction to Our Codes of Ethics and Conduct

In order to have a co-creative and authentic community where people can collaborate and cooperate effectively in their search for truth while discovering and personalizing that truth it is necessary to have a safe and collaborative environment where learning and trust can flourish. This is an environment with healthy boundaries and acceptable and unacceptable behaviors clearly defined that are based on known and wise values.

This safe and collaborative environment with clear boundaries and wise value-grounded behaviors creates the basic social agreements and commitments, shared community vision and general life flow and harmony essential to trust, effective learning for creating healthy individuals and communities and it also more gracefully manages the naturally arising learning and evolutionary conflicts in facts, perspectives and beliefs in an optimized way.

To help us achieve that optimal environment for trust, learning, collaboration and cooperation for optimal individual and community development within our organization we have developed codes of conduct.

On this page are our member, community and staff codes of ethical conduct. They are also being followed outside our Universe community by increasing numbers of individuals who call themselves Universe Evolutionaries or Universe Citizens and are part of the Evolution Spirituality, Evolutionary and Integral movements. These codes are based in major part, upon the science-grounded facts of progressive evolution, the new Universe Evolutionary Worldview and the Universe Principles of Sustainability. These three areas of science facts have then been carefully integrated in our codes of conduct.  For those that are spiritually inclined, where ever possible these codes can also be seen as naturally integrating with much of the most effective and life-affirming wisdom from humanity's vast spiritual heritage. 

Members of our community first study the particular codes of conduct (below,) which are most appropriate to their level of development and responsibility within our community. After that they careful study and evaluate the codes and then make personal commitments to live these codes (and in some cases our values and ideals,) to the best of their abilities. The willingness of community members to make clear and open personal commitments to the community vision, value standards and acceptable behaviors is one of the most important factors that creates and empowers the community culture, particularly in the areas of its effectiveness, empathetic cohesion and authenticity. (Please note: Where ever on this website we mention our community or our members we are speaking of them in a sense of a congregation and like a religious congregation united by common values, ethics and practices.)

Content Difficulty and Study Ratings:

To make the learning easier on our website we have created difficulty ratings for our materials. On this page you will see one of the following three letters (B), (I) and (A). These are are the study difficulty or complexity ratings for the preceding area, (B) = beginner and new visitor, (I) = intermediate student or repeat visitor and (A) = the advanced student and ministerial training level.

We recommend that you read only the codes for the level that you are currently at (B), (I) and (A). We hold our members accountable only for the level of conduct codes, which they have studied and which correlates to their level of development in our community.

In the code of conduct sections below you will discover the codes in mostly proactive promandment forms. The first part of our proactive codes of conduct are in the form of three great commitments of Life that we ask each member to eventually make...

The Three Great ProActive Commitments of Life (Level One Practice.)

The following are the Three Great Commitments of Life of Evolution Spirituality and that relate directly to the Three Great Spiritual Adventures and to which we ask every member to commit. Like most worthwhile things in life, the Three Great Spiritual Adventures found within Evolution Spirituality movement require self-discipline, effort and the commitments below.

1. First Things First: Save the Planetary Environment from Extinction Level Climate Destabilization! The First Great Commitment is to learn about and live Job One for Humanity and about how to live a sustainable prosperity lifestyle and livelihood. It also includes educating others on the changes needed to avert a planetary climate and environmental crisis and, then to insure that these needed climate pollution changes are enacted to allow the survival of the planet’s bio-systems for us now, our future and for future generations. In order to achieve this, this also means committing to live the Universe Evolutionary Principles of life as a evolutionary partner aligned with progressive directionality of evolution in the universe and to work toward creating a sustainable prosperity for all. (This is the first adventure of Universe Spirit because it REALLY is Job One for Humanity! Without managing this area NOW the adventure of life on this planet could be so radically worsened that everything else worthwhile in life could be severely diminished or destroyed. Some researchers have implied that human caused pollution that is responsible for increasing Extinction Level Destabilization has the potential to cause more human suffering and death than the total of all wars in human history.  Please see Job One for Humanity for more information on how we are applying this as a community.) (B)
2. Increase Your Awareness and Personal Growth! The Second Great Commitment is to freely choose to continue releasing your fullest potentials in order that you become more aware and from that increasing awareness, socio-emotional development, complex systems thinking skills and actions you progressively evolve. Here you also subjectively explore the adventure of Ultimate Reality. Here you turn time-tested wisdom and principles into real life personal practices resulting in an abundance of meaningful benefits including right livelihood and lifestyle and a life full of meaning. Here you are able to better live the virtues in a balanced way, which is simply --- to personally commit to and then live in delight, non-deficiency, justice, love, compassion and empowerment! (B)
3. Increase Your Service and Responsibility! The third Great Commitment is to balance the pursuit of one’s own sustainable prosperity with effective, life-affirming service to the expanding spheres of communities in which one exists. (The expanding spheres of community are family, group/tribe, company, nation, humanity, the planet with all Earth species and the universe.) (I) This is where one becomes a true Universe Evolutionary. Click here for more on Universe Evolutionaries.

Our Member and Staff Codes of Conduct (Level two practice.)

All of our other codes of conduct (just below,) are also designed to align with and serve the successful attainment of the Three Great Spiritual Adventures as well as the three Great Commitments (just above.)

Our Promandments

Our Commandments

The Responsibilities of Universe community membership (This section most relates to commitment three

The Consequences for repeated and severe violations of our Codes of Conduct

Our Member and Staff Promandments

Promandments are proactive statements of values, virtues, attitudes and life affirming actions that are self-accepted as being in one's enlightened self-interest after a period of study and evaluation. Promandments are not commandments.

Commandments are usually negative injunctions and "thou shalt nots" often instilled through fear of punishment or guilt laden indoctrination. Our spiritual and secular codes of conduct are first stated as positive invitations (promandments) to our members to strive toward living the classic and new spiritual ideals in an integral way.

The following linked sections will help describe in significant detail what we believe those the classic and new spiritual ideals to be. This section most relates to commitments one and two above.

Our Promandments:

1. Live as a responsible sustainability steward for the planet and universe's bio-systems. This means that it is your first duty to live a sustainable lifestyle and livelihood. It is Job One for ALL Humanity and it is also our most important social activism Promandment. (Some researchers have implied that human caused pollution that is responsible for increasing Extinction Level Destabilization has the potential to cause more human suffering and death than the total of all wars in human history. Also see The First Great Adventure of Life.) (B) One lives this first promandment by living the Universe Evolutionary Principles of Sustainability (These science-derived fundamentals relate to all areas of life.)  These sustainability principles for example include living in fair and appropriate exchange with others as well as all groups that support your well being. Fair and appropriate energy exchange is the central hub of the Universe Evolutionary Principles of Sustainability. Whenever this principle is violated avoidable problems develop from resentment to war. (B)
2. As well as you can, don't forget to celebrate and enjoy your life and relationships in each and every moment! You might not be here tomorrow, this may be as good as it gets and there is no full guarantee that the human evolutionary experiment will continue through the enormous evolutionary challenges that the planet currently faces.
3. Live the classic and new Universe Evolutionary virtues in a balanced way. (I)
4. If you are a spiritual person, live the spiritual section of the Great News of Hope found within our shared Evolution Spirituality. (B)
5. If you are a spiritual person, live the 20 points of a Universe Evolutionary's spiritual lifestyle. (I)
6. If you are a spiritual person, live the other Key Principles of Evolution Spirituality in a balanced way. (A)
7. Do your best to make your current lifestyle into an example of all of the Three Great Adventures of Life. (B)
8. Be an effective and active Universe Evolutionary and Universe Citizen. (B)

Our Community Promandments

The are some promandments that apply more to how members should build expanding, strong and healthy Universe Spirituality communities. There are several promandments in this area, but the most important is contained within the principles of the Open Source Spirituality Manifesto.

1. Live the principles on healthy sexuality within our community. (B)
2. Live the Universe Spirit Principles of Wise Social Activism. (I)
3. Live the Universe Citizen principles such as in the universe human rights and responsibilities found in our position papers by clicking here. (A)
4. If you are a spiritual person, live and hold the 20 vital Open Source Spirituality principles of our Evolution Spirituality, which will make our movement work effectively and collaboratively and grow internationally. (A)

Our More Traditional Member and Staff Commandments (Level one, two, three and four practice.)

To provide further clarification for negative "thou shalt not" behaviors not directly or overtly stated covered in the proactive,  guiding Promandments mentioned above, we y provide the following more detailed somewhat reactive behavioral guidelines. (This section most relates to commitment three above. and it is suitable for beginning (B,) students and members.

Members in good standing in our spiritual community do not:

1. Victimize, harass, degrade, harm or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, race, politics, religion or sexual orientation. (B)
2. Participate in any type of sexual activity with a minor or behave sexually in ways inconsistent with the practice of healthy sexuality within our community. (B)
3. Defraud, deceive or harm fellow members or non-members financially or in other ways! (B)
4. Participate in or promote any illegal or criminal activities. (B)
5. Use physical violence to resolve conflicts. (One may use physical force to protect oneself or others in true self defense.) (B)
6. Continue to use language or act or speak in ways that are abusive or inconsistent with our community vision, values and behavioral standards and if you are of a spiritual nature our spiritual principles. (B)
7. Impersonate or misrepresent their association with any person or entity. (B)
8. Gossip or complain about other members or use social media to gossip or complain about other members. (If one has a problem with another member's activities then one either goes directly to only that member personally or with a designated individual or group within the community tasked with assisting in resolving interpersonal misunderstandings or conflicts one confronts the fellow member in an effort to resolve the issue.)
9. Act in significant or repeated ways in conflict with the values and responsibilities found within the Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities. (A)
10. Sin! (The essence of sin is the refusal to realize one’s radical interdependence and non-dualistic unity with all that lives and exists. It is the desire to set oneself completely apart from the responsibilities of relationships with all others. It is to not need them or to be needed by them. Sin can also be thought of as the refusal to be the eyes, the body, the heart and the consciousness of the Universe.)

Our New Guiding "Universe Golden Rule" on How to Resolve Ethical and Moral Questions from the Universe Evolutionary Worldview Perspective (I)

Ethical and moral actions can be said to lie on a continuum of more or less ethical and moral when they are compared to some value criteria and framing. If you are not sure about if some action is ethical or moral, ask yourself these three additional questions and value criteria to help determine the degree or amount to which any action or inaction (omission) moves towards or away from being more ethical or moral or less ethical or moral.

This new golden rule in many way combines much of best of the codes of conduct found on this page. It takes a bit of study of its principles and practice using this new golden rule before it becomes second nature and habit.

The Universe Golden Rule: (I)(A)

1. "Is this act in alignment and/or forwarding the universe's progressive evolutionary directionality for life and evolution? Does it align with the Universe Principles of Sustainability particularly the fair and appropriate exchange promandment?" (For a full understanding of exactly what that alignment means click the Universe Principles link in the proceeding sentence.) Within the Universe Evolutionary Worldview the mostly simple definition for ethical behavior is: "those behaviors that enhance the beautiful, good and true and the progressive directionality of evolution and life first for the good of the whole (the community or group,) that also [wherever possible,] simultaneously honors and balances the "good" and well being of the individual and part.") 

"Ethical and moral behavior is at the minimum, behavior that enhances the progressive directionality of life and universe evolution as well as the evolve-ability of the universe. To be otherwise would be contrary to the very flow and nature of evolving life in the universe and for those of a spiritual nature, contrary to the physical universe observable purposes, nature and destiny of an Ultimate Reality that is by definition the originating source of the universe". Lawrence Wollersheim

2.) “Is the act life affirming?” This means more specifically "is this act sustaining or increasing truth, beauty and goodness and/or the positive awareness of individual human dignity, the physical biosphere and/or (if you are spiritual,) Ultimate Reality in the world? If the act isn’t and it is reducing or degrading the truth, beauty and goodness and/or the positive awareness of individual human dignity and/or Ultimate Reality in the world, consider carefully if you really want to proceed with such action.

3.) Is the act something that a community member in good standing would do or do to other community members? And, finally

4.) Is the act supporting or forwarding creating a sustainable prosperity for all?

If your act or omission fits within the above new "Universe Golden Rule" four criteria, there should most likely be no problem with it. The four criteria above can even be shortened into the following single question. Does your action or omission do the right thing for forwarding life in the universe? (This section most relates to all of the commitments.)

All of the codes of conduct listed above are also an essential part of the open source spirituality core kernel of the personalizable Evolution Spirituality movement. (I)

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The General Responsibilities of Universe Community and Universe Spirit Membership (for Level two, three and four practice.)

(This section most relates to commitment three and is suitable to beginning (B) students and members.)

We believe that all rights and freedoms have corresponding responsibilities and these responsibilities are also contained within or implied by our codes of conduct. All members of our community who have joined our community and who have been recognized as members are responsible to do their best to:

1. live our action and attitude Promandments (the Universe Evolutionary Principles of Sustainability above.) (B) (I) and (A)
2. do their fair share to forward our mission goals by telling others in an appropriate way about how they have benefited from involvement with our wisdom, and tools (at least 3 people each year.) This includes inviting people to our events and telling others about the main ideas of our organization such as sustainable prosperity for all, Job One for Humanity, the Universe Evolutionary Worldview and if the person is of a spiritual nature, the ideas of Evolution Spirituality. (I)
3. keep the organization, community and mission financially viable through appropriate fair exchange of donations in accordance with their means. We offer many of our courses and services on a open access donate what you can or, exchange something of value with us basis. This is based upon either what you feel is appropriate to your means, or/and according to the value that you feel our services and materials have brought into your life. Some individuals cannot afford any monetary donation, but they always can exchange their donated volunteer labor with us to maintain the healthy practice of exchanging something of value for something of value. Please click here for all of our most updated community principles on appropriate community member support, donations and fair exchange for our courses, services and events.

   Our community strongly supports appropriate exchange as a basic success law of life. To not live in fair exchange with the community would put an unfair and imbalanced drain on other exchanging community members and our community resources and in a sense would be to take advantage of our generous and kind mission and staff. For more information on the exchange principle of life and how using it can dramatically improve you life’s success /node/783 (B)

4. volunteer several times a year for service work within our Universe community or at events, (B)
5. keep the Universe community safe. When all community members are aware of the behavioral safety basics and are willing to call attention to the organization's leaders of anything that violates these behavioral principles then the organization will stay safe and grow sustainably. (I)
6. create and maintain at least six months provisions for themselves (and their families,) in case of any type of natural emergency, crisis or catastrophe. This includes all food, water, medicines, fuel, tools, information and anything and everything that would be needed to survive if there was a catastrophe that interfered with the distribution and availability of all essential life items for a six-month period. We ask all active members to assemble this six-month reserve because having adequate basic survival reserves is not only one of the Universe Evolutionary Principles is also the original and most fundamental form of insurance that exists. If you feel that any form of our modern insurance strategies are wise then having this minimal basic survival insurance will make sense to you. Additionally, there is the growing issue of climate destabilization described in Job One for Humanity materials here. (I) and (A)
7. If at all possible, assemble as a community in a severe emergency, crisis or catastrophe to share supplies, knowledge, skills and safety so that the Universe Spirit community will be able to sustain itself in and through such an emergency as well as serve as a beacon of light and hope for other individuals and communities who see how successfully we are using and living the Universe Evolutionary Principles of life. (I) and (A)
8. become active agents, partners and open source collaborators in adding, editing, and co-evolving the science and other administrative wisdom and work found within our open source Universe Spirit organization, (I)
9. do their fair share in helping co-create and evolving our organizational mission. (All members are encouraged to participate in any community decisions or community voting presented to the membership to help guide the organization.) (I)
10. strive toward living and modeling the basic human responsibilities stated within the Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities. These basic human responsibilities should be lived to the degree that they are applicable or present within the individual's own knowledge or life conditions and, within their relative zones of influence. The Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities beautifully describes what it means to be in an engaged and embodied partnership with your fellow human beings in co-creating a just sustainable, and equitable world that fully reflects the virtues and fruits of living an authentic and congruent spiritual lifestyle. The Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities is so complete that it could even be used as a checklist to see how you are doing or improving as a social and spiritual partner in co-creating a better world. (A)
11. If so called to become part of our organizational team or to become a volunteer facilitator or, if so personally called or asked, to help set up new local Universe Spirit centers or Universe community in other areas when the need arises. 
12. use our administrative principles when serving our communities as volunteers or staff. (I) and (A)
13. "fork" off and away from Universe community unethical members, teachers or leaders who do not respond to repeated efforts to educate then regarding changing their unethical behavior. Open source "forking" is the natural method of last resort to manage  independent Universe community organizations, members, facilitators teachers or leaders who fail to follow the member conduct codes, teacher ethical guidelines or safeguards. Independent organizations, members, teachers or leaders who are part of the  movement or Universe community associated center network who repeated fail to follow the member, teacher, leader conduct codes, ethical guidelines or safeguards are managed organically and naturally. This is because no one owns the Universe community "source code" materials (or, If you are involved with Evolution Spirituality we have no final spiritual authority or Pope that can demand compliance. In spiritual matters due to our holding of the spiritual Prime Directive that "no one should have their free will hindered in any matter of free spiritual choice.") This means that Universe community members or independent local organizations who are repeatedly betrayed by a member, individual, teacher, facilitator or the local organizations leadership as a last remedial resort are encouraged to simply "fork" off from that member, individual, teacher, facilitator or the local organization's leadership and create their own Universe community. This solution of last resort implies that one only abandons an individual member, facilitator, teacher or independent local organization organization if all reasonable repeated individual and community efforts to inform, correct or re-teach those individuals, teachers, facilitators or the independent local organizations's leader(s) has failed. This encouragement to natural fork off and create a new local organization when the services or organizational ethics are compromised is a powerful part of the natural self-correcting and self-organizing open source mechanism for keeping the Universe communities healthy, growing and naturally self-policing. After repeated attempts to educate about and resolve a serious and repeated violation of our commonly held vision, values and beharioral principles and evolutionary ethics there is no longer any reason to endure individual members, teachers, facilitators or leaders of  independent local communities ministers  who re-direct the Universe community movement into inappropriate or unethical activities or use them for inappropriate and unfair personal gain. (I) and (A) And,
14. live in society in congruence with the Universe Declaration of Universal Human Responsibilities. (A)
15.  Be true Universe Evolutionaries --- co-creative agents and partners in co-evolving progressive evolution in the universe. We are each 1/6,000,000,000 co-responsible for co-evolving our shared planet toward a just community and civilization, a sustainable prosperity and a meaningful quality-of-life for all. (B) (I) and (A)

For Those Who are of a Spiritual Nature, the Responsibilities of Evolution Spirituality Membership (Level two, three and four practice.)

1.) live and promote the goals of Evolution Spirituality and forward Job One for Humanity. Create and live an authentic and congruent lifestyle that also models the new sustainable prosperity lifestyles and livelihoods as the best way to achieve their own spiritual advancement and promote our mission as living example. 

2.) do their fair share to help co-create a loving evolutionary spiritual community that effectively supports our members building an authentic and congruent spiritual lifestyle. This spiritual lifestyle  consists of life-affirming relationships both at our local spiritual centers and in our online spiritual services. (Our spiritual communities are living organisms from which the truth, beauty and goodness of our mission and goals are birthed and sustained and authentic relationship is nurtured. Authentic relationship is a place where people share their experiences at a heart to heart level and help each other in reciprocal ways. It is a place where they can get honest about who they are and what is going on in their lives. It is a space where they can reveal their feelings, hurts, doubts, fears, and weaknesses as well as find mercy, be forgiven and ask for help. It is a space where allowances are made for their imperfections.) (B)

3.) each Evolution Spirituality active member is required to tell a minimum of three new people each year about the Evolution Spirituality mission. 

4.) keep the Evolution Spirituality community safe. This specifically means that all members know the spiritual safeguards and guidelines for healthy Life and Spirit facilitators and spiritual organizations as well as the community validity tests for authentic spiritual process. When all community members are aware of the safety basics and are willing to call attention to the organization's leaders of anything that violates these principles then Evolution Spirituality will stay safe and grow sustainably. (I)

5.) become active agents, partners and open source collaborators in adding, editing, and co-evolving the spiritual wisdom and work found within our open source Evolution Spirituality, (I)

6.) If so called to become Life and Spirit facilitators (what we call our ministers,) at some level within our spiritual communities. (If you become a Life and Spirit facilitator follow the Spirit Life and Spirit facilitator ethical code and implied responsibilities found in their Evolution Spirituality Life and Spirit facilitator ministerial training.) (A)

The Consequences for Repeated and Severe Violations of our Member Codes of Conduct

(This section most relates to commitment three and is suitable for beginning (B) members and students.) After fair investigation by peer members and/or staff and after an opportunity to regain trust and repair any damage caused by the offending individual (to the degree that it is possible,) any member who has agreed to follow our codes and who repeated or severely violates the above Commandment codes (1-7 above) will be locked out of our website, barred from our physical centers and their membership in the organization and community will be held either in an inactive status or will be removed. 

The Recourse for correcting injustices in applying our code of conduct:

If a member feels that they have been locked off our website, barred from our centers or had their membership made inactive or removed unfairly they can petition the executive director of their local Evolution Spirituality group or community and ask for a second appeal hearing of their qualified peers to review and/or remedy the injustice.